Pranav Nair
Manchester United ready to make their move for Napoli star Kalidou Koulibaly
According to TuttoSport via Calcio Napoli (h/t Sport Witness), Manchester United are ready to welcome Kalidou Koulibaly to their squad this summer.
The Senegalese international is amongst the best defenders on the planet in his heyday. A proven player at the top level, he has thrived at Napoli since joining them in 2014.
The Red Devils have been long term admirers of the 29-year-old star. However, his €90m valuation was a major hurdle for us to overcome last summer. A year on, fortune could be on our side.
Napoli has not been spared the financial setbacks brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. Having missed out on Champions League qualification, they will need to resort to sales to balance their books.
The Italian giants need to recoup €80.2m. They plan to cover it with a two-pronged approach – reducing the wage bill and selling 2-3 players.
Koulibaly is among their best assets and can fetch them a decent price. His agent is already reaching out in an effort to drum up interest in the player. Available for around €45-50m, he represents better value for money compared to a year ago.
United will, however, not have a clear route at landing the Senegalese international. Both Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are also in the fray for Koulibaly.
Madrid recently signed David Alaba while Bayern secured themselves the signing of Dayot Upamecano. This could very well clear the way for United to make their move.
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Despite his age, the 29-year-old still has a few years left in his locker and could form a commanding presence at the back for United. It is clear that we cannot afford to go into the new season without a new defender and it remains to be seen if Koulibaly is that man.
